Known fuel cell components are disclosed. For example, JP2004-179124A describes a separator for a fuel cell which includes an outer wall surface on which identification codes indicating unique information for the separator are provided. The identification codes provided on the outer wall surface are easily visible. According to the separator for the fuel cell described in JP2004-179124A, the separator can be identified on the basis of the identification codes. JP2003-115319A describes a fuel cell which includes a separator having a side end surface exposed to the outside of the separator, and a barcode indicating the unique information of a cell is attached on the side end surface. JP2003-119078A and JP2001-253763A describe an identifier providing technology in which an identifier is formed by irradiating a laser beam onto a ceramic product before baking, and the ceramics product is baked thereafter.
According to the construction described in JP2004-179124A, when the separator for the fuel cell is in use for a long period of time, there is a risk that the identification code formed on the separator may gradually disappear. According to the construction described in JP2003-115319A, when the fuel cell is in use for the long period of time, there is a risk that the barcode may be ablated. Likewise, according to the constructions descried in JP2003-119078A and JP2001-253763A, the identification code formed on the separator may gradually disappear by abrasion when used for the long period of time.
A need thus exists for a fuel cell component which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.